BACKGROUND
Sarah is a project manager at a busy marketing agency. She's leading a high-profile campaign for a major client, with tight timelines and high stakes. Mark, a senior graphic designer, is assigned several major design components critical to the project.

UNDERLYING ISSUES
Mark has been quietly struggling for weeks. His workload has increased significantly, and he's juggling multiple projects. He’s feeling overwhelmed and unsupported, but he doesn't feel comfortable bringing it up with Sarah. He perceives Sarah as unapproachable and reactive under pressure.

Sarah, on the other hand, notices Mark is missing deadlines and becoming increasingly withdrawn or absent in meetings. She interprets his lack of communication as disengagement or avoidance, especially since she has informally checked in and received vague responses. Sarah feels Mark is deliberately ignoring his responsibilities and is putting the project at risk.

THE ESCALATION
As the deadline approaches, Sarah sends Mark an email expressing her frustration with his delays and lack of updates. She copies the Creative Director, hoping to escalate accountability. The tone comes off as accusatory, and Mark feels humiliated.

Feeling cornered, Mark goes to HR and shares that he’s been feeling overworked, unsupported, and unable to communicate with Sarah without fear of backlash. He says he tried to keep up but didn't know how to raise concerns without being seen as incompetent. Mark is not sleeping, he feels highly stressed, has taken leave and is considering resigning.

HR initiate a formal investigation. Sarah feels undermined.

SNAPSHOT

There are 3 reliable triggers for escalation

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